ude and pleasure.

"My dear Miss Webster," he began. "I hope you are well. You have sustained
a great loss since I last beheld you, a great loss."

He drew forward a second armchair similar to the one in which he had been
sitting and motioned Lucy to accept it.

"Your aunt was a worthy woman who will be profoundly missed in the
community," he continued in a droning voice.

Lucy did not answer. In fact the lawyer did not seem to expect she would.
He was apparently delivering himself of a series of observations which
came one after the other in habitual sequence, and which he preferred
should not be interrupted.

"Death, however, is the common lot of mankind and must come to us all," he
went on in the same singsong tone, "and I hope that in the thought of your
devotion to the deceased you will find comfort."

Having now terminated the introduction with which he was accustomed to
preface his remarks on all such occasions, he regarded the girl in the
chair opposite him benignly.

"I was intending to come to see you," he went on more cheerfully, and yet
being careful to modulate his words so that they might still retain the
bereavement vibration, "but you have forestalled me, I see. I did not wish
to hurry you unduly."

"I have been tired," Lucy replied simply, "but I am rested now and quite
ready to do whatever is necessary."

"I am glad to hear that, very glad," Mr. Benton returned. "Of course there
is no immediate haste; nevertheless it is well to straighten out such
matters as soon as it can conveniently be done. When do you contemplate
leaving town?"

Lucy met the question with a smile.

"Oh, I don't intend to leave Sefton Falls," she said quickly. "I have
grown very fond of the place and mean to remain here."

"Indeed," nodded Mr. Benton. "That is interesting. I am glad to hear we
are not to lose you from the village."

He rubbed his hands and continued to nod thoughtfully.

"About how soon, if I might ask so personal a question, do you think you
could be ready to hand over the house to the new tenant?" he at last
ventured with hesitation.

"I'm afraid I don't understand you."

The lawyer seemed surprised.

"You knew of your aunt's will?"

"I knew she had made a will, yes, sir. She gave it to me to keep for
her."

"You were familiar with the contents of it?"

"Not entirely so," Lucy answered. "I knew she had left me the house and
some money. She told me that much."

"U--u--m!" observed Mr. B